Madrid to Bilbao bus
Cheap bus tickets from Madrid to Bilbao
Cheapest
Average
The best way to find a cheap bus ticket from Madrid to Bilbao is to book your journey as far in advance as possible and to avoid traveling at rush hour.
Bus schedule from Madrid to Bilbao
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Dec 06
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Bus times from Madrid to Bilbao
Fastest Journey
3 h 55 m
Average
4 h 44 m
Buses per day
20
Distance
323 km
Of the 20 buses that leave Madrid for Bilbao every day 18 travel direct so it’s quite easy to avoid journeys where you’ll have to change along the way.
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Overview: Bus from Madrid to Bilbao
 | Distance | 200 miles (322 km) |
 | Average bus duration | 4 h 30 min |
 | Average bus ticket price | $37 (€33) |
 | Bus frequency | 1 a day |
 | Direct bus | Yes, there is 1 direct bus a day |
 | Bus providers | Alsa Premium, Alsa Supra, Alsa or Blablabus |
Buses from Madrid to Bilbao cover the 200 miles (322 km) long route taking on average 4 h 30 min with our travel partners like Alsa Premium, Alsa Supra, Alsa or Blablabus. Normally, there is 1 bus operating per day, including direct services available. You can get the cheapest bus tickets for this trip for as low as $37 (€33), but the average price of bus tickets is $37 (€33). Travelers depart most frequently from Madrid-Puerta de Atocha and arrive in Bilbao.
Bus companies: Alsa and BlaBlaCar Bus from Madrid to Bilbao
Alsa and BlaBlaCar Bus buses will get you between Madrid and Bilbao from $37 (€33). With over 1000 travel companies on Omio, you can find the best bus times and tickets for your trip.
BlaBlaCar Bus (formerly known as Ouibus or iDBUS), a subsidiary of the popular French carpooling company, BlaBlaCar, is a bus company operating long-distance services in 10 countries in Europe. Founded in France, BlaBlaCar Bus provides connections to over 300 destinations. Standard amenities on the buses include air conditioning, toilets, USB and power outlets for charging phones, tablets and laptops during long bus journeys, extra legroom and adjustable seats. On select routes there is also free Wi-Fi available. BlaBlaCar Bus offers only the Standard ticket for all its routes, which allows you to bring one carry-on bag and up to two checked bags per person.
Madrid to Bilbao bus information with BlaBlaCar Bus:
- Average Duration: 4 h 35 min
- BlaBlaCar Bus frequency: 1 a day
Alsa is the main provider of bus travel in Spain. As a subsidiary of the UK bus company National Express, Alsa offers a plethora of regional, national and international routes and transports more than 300 million passengers per year. Alsa has an impressive fleet of buses with different levels of comfort and amenities on offer. Aside from the Alsa Normal bus with free WiFi, bathrooms, footrests and entertainment on board, the Alsa Supra, Alsa Eurobus and Alsa Premium buses provide more luxurious services when traveling by road, depending on the specific route. Apart from the Standard ticket, Alsa offers other bus tickets like Minimum, Reduced and Flexible fares on select routes.
Buses from Madrid to Bilbao
Buses in Spain are an affordable way to travel between cities. A number of bus companies offer domestic and international routes. Buses from Madrid to Bilbao are operated by Spanish provider, ALSA with up to 20 departures a day. The first bus leaves in the early hours of the morning, while the last departure at around 8:30 p.m. Buses from Madrid to Bilbao require a journey time of approximately 4 hours.
Madrid to Bilbao buses: Not what you're looking for?
Return buses from Bilbao to Madrid | Compare all modes of traveling from Madrid to Bilbao | Or learn more about buses to Bilbao
Madrid to Bilbao Bus Cost
Average prices for buses from Madrid to Bilbao when you book in advance
Booking Period |
Average Price |
|---|---|
Same Day |
€31 |
1 Day in Advance |
€31 |
1 Week in Advance |
€31 |
2 Weeks in Advance |
€31 |
1 Month in Advance |
€31 |
3 Months in Advance |
€31 |
Madrid to Bilbao Buses: General Information
While taking a bus is slower than both and train it is significantly cheaper and can take as little as 4 hours to arrive in Bilbao.
All Madrid to Bilbao buses are run by ALSA.- Most buses are direct, depart from Madrid's Intercam Av. America bus station and arrive at Bilbao bus station.
- Traveling from Madrid to Bilbao by bus takes as little as 4 hours and 5 minutes to arrive in Bilbao.
- Most travelers book their Madrid to Bilbao bus ticket 1 day in advance of the travel date.
Taking the Bus from Madrid
Buses from Madrid to Bilbao leave from the Intercambiador de Transporte bus station, located on Avenida de America, which has good local transport links by bus and metro to the rest of the city and the suburbs. Madrid's efficient and extensive transport network is supplemented by regular night bus routes. Taxis are also available at the bus station.
Getting into Madrid by Bus
Bilbao is a bustling port and the capital of Vizcaya in the Basque Region of Northern Spain and is situated on the tidal Nervión River. Bilbao enjoys a mild climate, more temperate than much of Spain and has become increasingly popular, with visitors enjoying the art and architecture of the modernist Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Gehry. Other attractions are the Basque Museum and La Ria Maritime Museum. Bilbao's Old Town, or Casco Viejo, has seven streets full of interesting shops and cafes. Buses from Madrid to Bilbao arrive at the TermiBus Station, which is linked by tram to central Bilbao. Bilbao has plenty of public transport options, including a Metro line, frequent Bilbobus City buses, one EuskoTran tram line, and the BizkaiBus service which covers surrounding regions and coastal towns. Bilbao has a weekend night bus service, while taxis are also available at the station.
Travel Tips: Bus to Bilbao from Madrid
When taking a bus from Madrid, you have a couple of bus stations you can depart from including Madrid, Estación Sur/Gare routière Méndez Alvaro - 83, Madrid, Estación de Moncloa and Madrid, Méndez Álvaro - Terminal. When you arrive in Bilbao, your bus can arrive in bus stations including Bilbao, Bilbao, Zorroza and Bilbao, Estación de Autobuses.
Omio customers traveling this route book their buses from Madrid-Puerta de Atocha to Bilbao.
Passengers booking this trip most frequently board their buses from Madrid-Puerta de Atocha and need to travel around 1.4 miles (2.2 km) from the city center to get to this bus station.
Passengers arriving in Bilbao most often arrive at Bilbao and need to travel around 0.7 miles (1.1 km) from this bus station to the city center.
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